1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a network system which transmits an operation document image from one terminal to another terminal and, in particular, to an image workflow system which allows an operator of each terminal to do operations to be handled to the operation document image.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heretofore, an image workflow system has been used to successively transfer a document in the form of a document image from one terminal to another terminal through a network. In this connection, the document may be called an operation document while the document image, an operation document image.
For example, the operation document may be a deposit function sheet used in a financial institution, such as a bank. In the financial institution, the operation document image is transferred from one section to another section in the bank and is subjected at each section to manual processing. The processed operation document image is further transferred to another section associated with this document. Finally, the processed operation document image is preserved as an evidence of a conclusion.
Herein, a wide variety of operation documents have been transferred or circulated through the workflow system in the financial institution. In this event, each operator in the sections must judge a species of the documents to execute processing necessary to the document judged and to transfer the processed document to associated sections.
Under the circumstances, a heavy load is imposed on each operator in the conventional workflow system and becomes serious with an increase of the species of the operation document.
Alternatively, an image workflow system for reduction of the operator's load is exemplified in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication H 9-81488 (namely, 81488/1997). In this image workflow system, a circulation route formed through a plurality of sections or terminals is at first attached to a document as a route identifier and is scanned by an image scanner or a facsimile into an operation document image. Each terminal extracts the identifier from the operation document image to recognize the circulation route. With this system, the operation document image can automatically be circulated or transferred from one terminal to another through the circulation route.
Thus, the conventional image workflow system may circulate the operation document image. However, the operation document image can never be edited by an operator so as to add a value, a sign to the operation document image.
Also, the conventional system may not handle a document which is used in a financial institution because such a document may not always include a circulation route.